Table-desk.



No. 654,922. Patentedluly 3|, |900.

l J. scHlPK-owsuv.

TABLE DESK.

. (Application led Sept. 21. 1899. (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

NITED STATES@ PATENT vFFIC-e JULIUs scIiIPIowsKY, on MILWAUKEE, wisconsin;

TABLE-lessa.

SPECIFICATION ddrmlg part bf Letters Patient N'O. 654,922, dated July 31, 1906. Application filed` September 21, 1898. Serial No. 7315189. (No model.)

To aZZ wwm it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULrUs 'ScnIPKo`wsKY-,- a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Table-Desk, of which the following is' a specification. l

This invention relates to desks; and the object in view is to provide a flat-top cabinetdesk comprising relatively-movable sections' containing pigeonholes and other compartments, the several sections being so associated within the frame or body of the desk that they may be conveniently projected therefrom when the desk is in use and readil yhoused therein below the writing-bed when not in use, the desk as a whole when not in use resembling a flat-top table.

It is the purpose of` this invention to construct the desk in such manner that it will be particularly desirable and useful in private dwellings, the desk when not in use as such differing in no Wise from an ordinary ornamental parlor-table with a perfectly-flat top, which, if desired, may receive an ordinary table scarf or cover, upon which may be placed the usual parlorornaments, bric-a` brac, dac. 'r

The desk contemplated in this invention is also constructed with special reference to convenience when in use as a desk, the several sections thereof being capable of being exposed and rendered accessible for use. The',

4 comprises a flat top l, consisting of a station-` several sections are also combined in such manner and certain sections 'are so connected that the adjustment of vone ormore sections will eect the adjustment of the remaining sections and in this way: the several sections containing the pigeonholesand other compartments may be simultaneously brought into their proper positions and as readily returned to their places within the body of the desk or table. The adjustment or operation of the movable sections does not in any Way affect theircal'iacityfor holding books, let-ters, papers, andoth'erdocnments. The detailedobjects and advantages of thel invention will appear more fully in the course of the ensuing description.

A The invention consists in a desk embody ing certain novel features and details of constructionand arrangement of parts, as herel ginafter fully described, illustratedV in the drawings, andincorporated in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure l is" a perspectiveview of a desk constructed in' accordance with the present invention, show; ing thedoors or hinged sections thrown open andthe slidingsection elevated. Fig. 2 is an end view of the desk with the adjacent side yremoved to show the eounterbalance mechanism, the locking device for the slidable' section, and the operative connection between the slidable section and one of the hinged sections. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross- `section through the desk, showing the several `sections housed therein and also showing the operative connection between lone of the' doors or hinged sections and the sliding sec'- tion. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the desk with the top or writing-bed removed, the counter` .balance mechanism and the locking device being omitted at one end to better illustrate the arrangement of the operative connection between the slidable section and one of the' hinged sections. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the mechanism for locking the sliding section. Fig. 6 is a detail horizontal section through oneend of the desk, illustrating the manner of operating the locking mechanism for the sliding section.

Similar numerals ofre'ference designate corlrespondingparts in all the figures.

The desk contemplated in this invention ary section 2 and a movable section 3, the two sections forming the writing-bed of the desk and being located in the same horizontal plane whenY the sliding section, hereinafter described and which carries the movable section 3, is housed. The desk also comprises stationary ends 4, back 5, and bottom 6. The ends andback are firmly connected to cornerposts 7, the lower ends of which are extended below the bottom to form supporting-legs 8, which may be of any preferred ornamental design, and these legs are also preferably connected along the front, back,-anden'dsof the desk by downwardly-extending ornamental pieces 9, which will give a finish to the desk as a whole.

Extending longitudinally within t-he desk IOO 6o preferably in the form of metal stripssec-ured one tothe back of the desk and the other to a cleat 2.6, secured to the rear side of the` is an intermediate partition 10, and arrangedV in front of said partition is what may be termed a stationarysection 11, containing compartments in the form of pigeonholes 12, catalogue-tiles 13, and letter and document files 15, although it will be understood that compartmentsor pigeonholes of any character and arrangement may be employed without departing from the principle of the invention. The partition 10 terminates above the bottom 6, and the stationary-section 11 is provided with a rearwardlyfprojecting extension 15, passing beneath the partition and extending as far back as the back 5 of the desk. Thus corner-posts at the points 17 and serving to. A close the front of the desk, as shown in Fig. fi. Each of the doors comprises a front panel .18,which may be ornamented in -any preferred manner, and extending backward therefrom is a casing comprising top and bottom pieces 19, connected at their inner edges by a bac-k piece 20, thus. forming a housing within which may be placed partitions or division-pieces for-ming pigeon-holes accessiblefrom the ends 21 when the doors are thrown open, as shown in Fig. 1. These doors, together with the pigeo-nholes or compartments carried ,there-k by, constitutethe hinged sections of the desk. Housed within the desk in rear of the partition 10 isa sliding; flush-seating section 2.2,`

the heightof which is equal to thedistancebetween the top of the desk and 'the extension of the stationarysection, the sliding section 22 resting upon the extension15 when lowered. 4 The sectionl 22 is. divided up by suitable partitions or division-pieces to-form pigeonholes yand drawer-spaces 2.3, as Ashown in Fig. 1, and said vsliding section constitutes the top: of the desk when elevated to its operativey position, asA shown in Fig. 1. The end pieces. or boards 23 of the sliding section 22 areextcndedthe entire height of the deskthat is, the dis-.tance between thetop andbottom pieces thereof-and said ends pass' v,downward outside of the extension 15 ofthe station-ary sec-tion or between the extension 15. and the ends t of the desk. Each Vof the end pieces 23..has its front and rear edges.-

grou-ved, as shown at 24to receive guides 25,

partition 10. lIn this manner the slid-able section is adaptedto slide with perfect freedom,

up and.l down', being properly guided vand. steadied in its movements, and this effect is enhanced by reason of the end pieces '23 eX- tending the entire distance from the top 2 to the bottom 6. i

The slidable section 22 is connected to one or both of the hinged sections or doors 16, so as to be operated by said doors, by means ot' a chain, cable, 0r other flexible connection 27. This flexible connectiony is attached at one end toa clip 28, secured to one of the end v pieces 23 of the sliding section near its lower edge and about centrally of the depth of the slidable section. The connection 27 extends from the clip 28 upward in a vertical direc- Vtion and over a guiding sheave or pulley 29,

journaled on a stud-axle 30, carried by a bracket 31, secured to the inner'surface of the'end of the desk, or the axle 30 may be secured directly to the desk without the interposition of the bracket 30.

The flexible coni nection 27 extends thence forward and around a secondsheave or pulley 32, revolving on a i vertical axis and mounted inY one of the Q spaces 33 left at the opposite ends of the stasection or door 16, as indicated at 35.

tionary section 11, the space being continued above and over the section 11, as indicated `at 34, so as to allow the connection 27 free play without interfering with said stationary section. The connection 27 is finally attached to one c ornerof the adjacent hinged It will ynow be seen that when the hinged. sections or doors 16 are moved outward to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. fithe tleXible connection 27 will -be drawnv for- .ward and traveling around the sheaves 29 and 32 -will operate to elevate the sliding'section and carry it upward toI the, position showny in Figs. 1 and 2, thus bringing the pigeonholes and other compartments thereof into position for use. i' In closing the hinged sections or doors 16 thesl-idable;y section 2.2

"will be lowered to the position shown in Fig..

3, the operation being just the hereinabove described.

In'order to balance the weight of theslidable section and its contents and to enable the doors or hinged'sectio'ns to be readily swung open without exertion,I a pair'of' levers 36' and 37 are provided, `theV same `being reverse of that mounted at one or both ends of the .casing between the ends of theseveral sectionsand `the end piece ot the desk.. The lever'3`6; is

fulcrumed at one end, as shown. at. v353, preferably upon. one of the corner-'posts 7, and is 1 provided at its opposite end withfa. longitudinal slot 39toreceiveslidingly aV pin or stud l 40, connected to the short arm ofthe lever 37,

said lever being fulcrnmed on the pin 4&1, which is considerably nearer one end` than the other. The long arm of the; lever 37 is i provided with a longitudinal sl0t42',"Whic-h slidingly embraces a pinor stud 4.3011 the end` of thefs-lidingsection 22. v Bear-ing against the lever 36 is an ,actuating-spring' 4&4, one

. endofwhich is secured, by'means offasteners 45, to the hangerl 4.6.,A mounted pivotally,

as shown at 47, on the inner surface of the IOO IIO

end piece of the desk. The free end of the spring is curved or deected away from the lever 36, as shown at 48, and exerts its pressure in a downward direction on the lever 36. The tension of the spring 44 may be regulated and increased or diminished by means of the tension-screw 49, having a knurled head, whereby it may \be operated by hand, the threaded shank of the screw passing through an internally-threaded bracket 50 on the end of the desk and carrying at its bearing end a swiveled shoe 51, which bears against the adjacent side of the spring 44. By turning the screw 49 any desired pressure may be brought to bear on the spring 44, thus increasing the tension of the spring against the lever 36 and enabling the operator to compensate for the additional or diminished load carried by the sliding section 22, it being understood that the weight of the sliding section will vary according to the amount of contents placed therein.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the tendency of the spring 44 is to depress the lever 36, which in turn bears down on the short arm of the lever 37 and moves upward the long arm thereof, which acting through the stud 43 on the sliding section serves to elevate the latter. The tension of the spring is so adjusted that the connections hereinabove described will just` counterbalance the weight of the sliding section and its contents, and it will therefore be seen that in swinging the doors or hinged sections outward at the front of the desk the sliding section will be simultaneously elevated without any eXtra exertion.

In order to lock the sliding section when housed within the desk, one or more projections 52 in the form of pins or studs are provided at one or bothends of the sliding section and4 near the bottom edge of the end piece 23 thereof. Cooperating with said projections 52 are hooks 53, connected fixedly to a slide rod or bar 54, operating ina direction transversely of the desk. The rod or bar 54 (shown in Figs. 5 and6) is provided with the longitudinal slots 55 to receive headed pins or studs 56, which engage the bottom of the desk and the heads of which engage the slide rod or bar, so as to allow said bar to `move longitudinally while guiding the same and holding it firmly in place. The rod or bar 54 is provided at its forward end with an antifriction-roller 57, which comes in operative contact with a cam-lever 58, having a camsurface 59 cooperating with the roller. The lever 58 extends forward in the path of the adjacent doors or hinged sections 16, as clearly shown in" Fig. 6, and when said section is moved inward to its closed position the inner corner thereof comes in contact with the lever 58, producing a cooperation between the cam-surface 59 thereof and the roller 57, thereby thrusting the sliding bar or rod 54 rearward and causing its `hooks 53 to pass over and engage the projections 52, thereby 7locking the sliding section 22at the lower `limit of lts movement and preventing unauthorized persons from raising and gaining access to the slidable section when the hinged sections or doors are locked, it being intended to provide a suitable lock for said doors. lVhen the doors are thrown open, a retracting-spring 62 acts to thrust the rod or bar 54 forward, thereby disengaging the hooks 53 from the projections 52 and leaving the slid- `a-ble section free to be moved upward.

In view of the foregoing description it will be seen that the desk when not in use as such is in the form of an ordinary flat-top table with sides and ends which may be ornamented in any desired manner and that the device as a whole is admirably adapted to parlors and other private rooms in dwellings, the article giving no indication exteriorly that it is' a desk. At the same time by unlocking and opening the front doors or hinged sections said sections are not only thrown into position to give access 'to the contents thereof, but simultaneously therewith the slidable section is elevated above the plane of the desk-top to a position where ready access may be had to the pigeonholes and other compartments thereof. This is accomplished by the operative connections hereinabove described andjs effected without undue exertion by reason of the counterbalancing mechanism herein set` tion carries a section of the desk-top or writ-` ing-bed, and said movable section 3 of the writing-bed extends the entire length of the desk, so that the joint between the sections 2 and 3 consists of a straight line at the point 60, the meeting edges of the sections 2 and 3 being in the same horizontal plane and correspondinglybeveledorconvexedandconcaved, thus making the joint scarcely noticeable.` In

order to support the free ends of the hinged e sections 16 when they are swung outward, supporting-legs 61 are provided, the same eX- tending downward from the inner corners of the hinged sections, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 and as also illustrated in Fig. 1. 'If desired, one of the door-sections may be pro- IOO IIO

vided with pigeonholes, book-stalls, and drawers accessible from the inner side thereof, as shown at 63.

It is intended to provide counterbalancing devices at both ends of the desk and also to attach to both hinged sections means for operating the sliding sections. For convenience, however, and in order to avoid confusion in the drawings I have illustrated but a single set of counterbalance-levers and a single operating device for the sliding sections.

dwellings. From the-'foregoing it is thought that the IOV i n Y y eseaa In order to reduce friction, the pins nV and may be surrounded by antifriction rollers 'working in the respective slots or grooves of' derstood that the desk is just as* useful for ovice purposesas for parlors and private construction, operation, and many advantages ot the herein-described desk will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art derstood-that various changes in thel form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacriicing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the-invention, what is claimed as new,y and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. Ariat-top cabinet-desk eomprisin ga versections effects the operation of the slidable section,v substantially as specified., 2. A fiat-top cabinet-desk comprising a 'vertically-slidable iiush-seatingsection, forming aflushportion of the Writing-bed, a verticallytion with the slidable section for raising and lowering the same, a lever connected tothe slidab-le section, a second lever connected `with the first-named lever, a lever-actuating spring, anda tension-adj usting device; forl the spring, substantially-as specified.

3. A flat-topcabinet-desk comprisinga vertically-slidable flush-seating section forming a Hush portion ofthe Writing-bed, a verticallyhinged section having an operative connection with the slidable section for raising and lowering the same, a lever operatively connected with the sl'idable section, ale-ver-actuating springp-ivotally mounted at one end on a fixed part and exerting Yits tension on said lever, and a tension-adjusting device for the v spring, substantially as; specified. l the counterbalance-levers. It Will also be, un-

4. A flat-top cabinet-deskcomprising a veri tically-slidable section, a hinged section for raising and lowering the slidable section, said hinged section having an operative connection Withr the slidable section, and means actnatedbythe hinged ,section upon the latter resuming a normal position for locking the-slidable section, substantially as'specilied. without further descriptionand it will be nn- 5. Aiiat-top cabinet-desk comprisinga vertically-slidable section, a hinged section having an operative connection therewith for raising and lowering the same, a slide-bar f actuated by the hinged section, and means y on the slidable section engaged by the slidebar for locking the slidable section, substantiallyA as specified.

6. A fiat-top cabinet-desk comprisinga ver- ;tically-slidable section, a vertically-hinged tically-s'lidable flush-seating sectionforming section having an operative connection therewith, for raising and lowering the same, a

` slide-bar actuated bythe hinge-d section, and hooks on the. slide-bar engaging complemen-v tal devices on. the slidable section for locking thel latter, substantially as specilied.

7. A fiat-top cabinet-desk comprising a ver- Vtically-slidable section, a vertically-hinged section having an operative connection there- Vwith for. raising and `lowering the same, a hinged section having an operative centree-1A locking slide-bar arranged to be actuated by the hinged section, a cam-lever. operativelyv related to the slide-bar and arranged inthe path of the hinge-section, engaging Vdevices on the slide-bar cooperating with complemental devices on the slidable section for locking the latter, and a retracting-'spring for. the slide-bar, substantially as specified.

Iii-testimony that I claim the foregoing as 

